Co-leader May says Greens ‘more needed than ever’ after rough road to election day

VICTORIA — It’s been a rough road to election day for the Green Party after they were excluded from leaders debates, denying them a crucial national audience.

But co-leader Elizabeth May remains optimistic, saying the Greens are “more needed than ever” as she brushes aside national polling that “has never accurately predicted” whether and where the party wins seats.

The Greens are trying to hold onto two ridings in today’s election: May’s British Columbia seat of Saanich-Gulf Islands that she’s held since 2011 and Mike Morrice’s Ontario riding of Kitchener-Centre that he won in 2021.

May is facing a stiff challenge as her share of the vote has dropped from almost 55 per cent in 2015 to just under 38 per cent last election.

She says she has never taken anything for granted, but adds the outcome in her riding was more uncertain in 2011, and she’s “hopeful” the Greens will return to Ottawa with a bigger caucus.

May’s co-leader Jonathan Pedneault has predicted the Greens will not only hold their current ridings, but also add another four, including the Quebec riding of Outremont where he is running.

Pedneault is also eyeing Fredericton—Oromocto in New Brunswick, Guelph in Ontario and B.C.’s Nanaimo-Ladysmith, where former Green MP Paul Manley is running again.

He made the prediction after the Leaders’ Debate Commission pulled his invitation from two televised debates, saying the party had not met the bar by fulfilling two of three conditions for participation: having candidates in 90 per cent of ridings, polling at four per cent support 28 days before election day and having at least one sitting MP at dissolution.

The party announced last week that it was going to court to challenge the decision.

UBC political science lecturer Stewart Prest says the exclusion was a “blow” to the Greens’ visibility, but also gave it the “kind of publicity that they might not otherwise have had.”

Prest says the Green Party has every right to be upset, but should also reflect on its long-term future.

The party has not only had organizational issues, but other left-of-centre parties have co-opted parts of the Green message, Prest says.

He adds this election has also been “shaped by issues that go beyond the ability of the Greens to respond, notably threats to Canadian sovereignty.”

Conservative Cathie Ounsted, Liberal David Beckham and New Democrat Colin Plant are trying to unseat May, who acknowledges Ounsted draws on a historical base of support.

May says neither federal New Democrats nor federal Liberals are credible voices on the environment.

The Green Party is also more than just an environmental party, she adds.

“If anyone looked at our platform in this election … we have the most innovative ideas for economic sovereignty,” she says.

“(We) actually pay attention to where we find the government revenue to pay for our programs. So, as to whether there’s a place for the Green Party in Canadian politics, absolutely.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 28, 2025.

Wolfgang Depner, The Canadian Press